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Cravan
The Eastern Havenic Empire of Cravan and her Overseas Dominions, Eastern Havenic Empire, or simply Cravan, is a Havenic nation, the central home isles of which is located on the eastern fringe of the region. The Empire is comprised of six Constituent Countries: Camden, Meddlesworth, Tillingham, Sapin, Callander, and Cortenshire; the former three a part of the home isles and often referred to as the "Home Countries." The Empire also possesses two Overseas Territories: Carpanthium and Aurde. Five of the six Countries are located in Haven, while Cortenshire is located in the region of Arterus. Carpanthium is located in Haven, on the northeastern coastline of Northford, along with Aurde, an island located northwest of Alacea. The Eastern Havenic Empire is a , operating a working parliamentary democracy, with His Imperial Majesty Robert the Second of Cravan as and reigning . The Right Honorable Elizabeth Annadale currently serves as the nation's thirty-fourth Primary Director, elected into office in June of 2007. Cravan is considered to be a major player on the Havenic stage, one of several of the more influential nations of the region with close ties to other neighboring countries under its sphere of influence. Cravan boasts a booming economy, comprised mostly of information technology markets. The cecat is the xxx most powerful currency in Haven, after the Hamptonian Krone. On the international stage, Cravan is a member of the New Alliance Treaty Organization as well as a founding member of the now defunct GASN and a former member of the equally defunct ISAF. History Geography The Cravanian Home Countries are located on the eastern fringe of Haven in the Hamptonian Sea, bordered on all sides by the sea as an island nation. The Home Countries of Cravan are mostly composed of plains and gently rolling foothills, with very little in the way of significant elevations. Large forests cover most of the expanse of the gentle hills and plains, offering numerous sources of wood and other resources. Mainland Cravan has a mostly temperate climate, remaining warm in the summer while it experiences cold winters due to ocean currents. Cravan undergoes a long rainy season in the spring. xxxxx Cortenshire, the only Cravanian Constituent Country not geographically located in Continentia, is in the region of Arterus. A chain of islands which connects two landmasses, Cortenshire serves as a prime trading location and a strategic military position. Cortenshire is temperate year round, with a high amount of rainfall. It is bordered to the north by Questarian and Willinkian territories, and to the south by Artitsan and Illiorian territory. Political Boundaries and Divisions The Empire is divided up into six Constituent Countries and two Overseas Territories. The territories of Carpanthium and Aurde have representation in the House of Commons, but no representation on the Council of Lords. Meanwhile, Constituent Countries have equal representation on the Council and are represented in the House of Commons according to population. Although a distinction is made between the three "Home Countries" and the three other Countries, all Countries are equal on the Council of Lords and have equal standards for the number of seats alotted to each county in the House of Commons according to population. Each Constituent Country is divided into Counties, provincial level administrative zones which are further divided into Districts. There are seventeen Counties throughout the Empire, listed under their Constituent Country of origin. Urban Centers and Metropolitan Areas TBC Government and Politics The Eastern Havenic Empire is a , operating a working . The Directorate The Cabinet of the Eastern Havenic Empire, known as the Directorate, is the de facto executive branch of government. Headed by the Primary Director, the Directorate manages the day to day affairs of the Empire in both internal and foreign policy. The position of Primary Director is customarily awarded to the leader of the largest party represented in the House of Commons, who is then approved by the House and appointed by the reigning monarch. The Primary Director must be either a current or former member of either House of Senate. If appointed to Primary Director as an incumbent in their former position, the former position is to be filled in by an elected member of their party in local elections. The other positions of the Directorate are filled by members selected and appointed by the Primary Director who are not required to be members of the Senate either current or past, but can also be previously appointed government officials or otherwise. The current Directorate of Cravan, referred to as the 33rd Directorate, is headed by The Right Honorable Elizabeth Annadale, current Primary Director of the nation. She is accompanied by Deputy Primary Director The Right Honorable David Koslin. Legislature The Imperial Senate acts as the legislative arm of the Imperial government, holding most of the power in the Empire and determining the laws and policy over time of the Empire's government. A bicameral legislature, the Senate is made up of the House of Commons and the Council of Lords. House of Commons The House of Commons is composed of representatives from each electoral district (of which there are 143 in the Constituent Countries of the Empire and Territories, with representation proportional to the population of the district. Each Senator in the House of Commons has one vote to cast, independently from other Senators of his or her overall region. There are a total of two hundred and fifty-five (255) seats in the House of Commons. Of those 255, the Imperial Liberal Party (ILP) owns one hundred and thirty-two (132), approximately 52% of the total number of seats. Sixty-five (65) seats belong to the Conservative Party of the Havenic Empire (CPHE), the second most represented party in the Senate and the opposition party. Forty-four (44) seats belong to the Labor Party of Cravan (LPC), the third most popular party in the Empire. The remaining fourteen (14) seats are divided up amongst smaller parties with little widespread representation throughout the entirety of Cravan. Proposals are suggested by Senators by submitting their proposals in written form for consideration to the House Proposals Committee. During the open floor sessions a Senator may introduce their proposal assuming it has been approved by the Committee. The proposal is then debated upon and formulated by the House until a finalized version may be created and voted upon. For a proposal to come to a vote, a two-thirds (2/3) quorum is required in the House, or one hundred and seventy (170). Proposals which are voted upon in the House of Commons require 55% of the total votes cast to be affirmative to pass, abstentions by either vote or absence being nullified in the final count. If failed in the House of Commons, the proposal is then either thrown out or reworked if a motion to do so is made and passed with at least ten endorsements at which time it will undergo the process again. If initially passed, however, the proposal moves on to the Council of Lords. If the Council of Lords denies a proposal's passage to law form or otherwise, it is then sent back to the House of Commons where it is reworked again and requires a 75% majority vote to pass into a law. If passed in the House of Commons the second time, it is again sent to the Council of Lords and requires only a minimum of 40% of the vote to pass. Senators to the House of Commons are elected every four years in their electoral districts, the number of senators per electoral district proportionate to the percentage of the population of the County in which the district is located. A preliminary election is held in each district in January of an election year to determine party membership in the district. The parties which rank in the popular top 55% of the vote for a district are awarded the seats proportionally to their percentages in respect to one another. For example, should the CPHE receive 35% of the total vote in a district with three seats, the ILP places with 20%, and the LPE places with 6%, these parties place in the top 55% of the district. The seats are then divided up proportionally (there are usually on average five to seven seats per district, sometimes more) between the top parties, or in some cases a single party may take a district. A general election for the Senators running for seats on a party's ballot occurs in May, with the top ranking Senators running taking the number of seats set aside for the party. Changes in office occur every June 20th of an election year. The House of Commons is presided over by the Chairman of the Commons, who is elected by the majority party to preside over sessions of the House. The Primary Director has a seat next to the Chairman at the front of the House, however commonly an advisor is sent in the Director's place. The Chairman manages the flow of the sessions of the House, managing speaking times and acting as a moderator during debate sessions. Each party represented in the House has floor leaders, the Majority and Opposition parties having the Leader of the Majority and Leader of the Opposition respectively. The other minority parties each have a Minority Leader to guide their legislation and policies. The House of Commons can be called to an emergency session by the Primary Director if a situation warrants immediate action, and proposals voted upon during emergency sessions are not necessarily required to pass through the Council of Lords. Emergency join sessions for actions such as declarations of war may also be called by the Primary Director. Only certain types of proposals may be presented during an emergency session, and only proposals pertaining directly to the situation for which the emergency session was called may be discussed. Emergency sessions are always presided over by the Primary Director. Council of Lords The Council of Lords is a council made up of one representative from each Country throughout the Empire and as many Senatorial Advisors as the Senator elected chooses to appoint. The name of the Council is fairly misleading in that Senators who sit on the Council are not necessarily of noble status upon election. They are, however, awarded an honorary title of nobility if they have not been granted such an honor beforehand. Male Senators on the Council are granted the honorary title of Knight of the Eastern Havenic Empire, female Senators the honorary title of Dame of the Eastern Havenic Empire. It is rare that Senators will use these titles to refer to themselves or that others will refer to them with this title. Senators on the Council are elected every two years, selected by their party in a primary held in their home Country in January of an election year. Afterwards, a general election in May determines which candidate shall serve as the Senator on the Council for the two year term, with changes in office taking place on June 20th of the election year. A Senator may serve up to six terms on the Council before being forced to rescind their position. Each Country represented on the Council has a number of votes out of fifteen proportionate to the represented Country's population, however the votes must be cast as one vote. In reality, the number of votes the Country has determines the weight with which that Country's vote holds. A simple majority is required for a resolution to pass or fail on the Council, unlike the required percentage of votes in favor to pass in the House of Commons. In the unlikely event of a tie, the issue will be sent (or sent back to) the House of Commons, where a 65% majority will be required to pass it. In addition to passing or rejecting proposals set forth by the House of Commons, the Council of Lords often meets with high ranking members of the Directorate to determine foreign policy decisions. Law Law in the Empire is fairly standard throughout, with all national-level laws and regulations determined by the Imperial Senate. Minor regulation, such as building code regulations, are determined at the local level as per the needs of the geographic area in which the law is determined. All counties must conform to the Constitution of the Eastern Empire, documentation of the rights of each Imperial citizen in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants citizens extensive personal and economic freedom. Crime in the Empire is not a problem per se, as after extensive liberal reform most practices considered as "victimless" crimes were legalized. Crime in the empire is currently defined as "The jeaopardization of the safety or wellbeing of other individuals" and "Theft from or concious deceit of other individuals or corporate entities." Practices such as prostitution; the handling, sale, and use of narcotics and other hallucinogenic drugs; and self inflicted violence are legal in Cravan. However, the use of drugs and narcotics in a public place and resulting in the endangerment of other individuals, either directly or indirectly, is a serious offense, resulting in heavy fines and possible jailtime. Murder, assault, rape, theft, and other crimes which directly harm another individual are considered to be heinous crimes in the Empire, in some extreme cases death administered by the state being the punishment. This, however, has not been the case in over twenty years. A punishment of hard labor for more serious crimes short of capital crimes is quite common, giving some companies who buy into the Cravanian penal system a cheap source of labor while inmates work off their sentences. Some companies which employ prisoners reward the prisoners with wages, goods, and other luxury items at the approval of the detention facility at which they are held. Inmates working outside of a prison in Cravan are under armed watch at all times. Criminals declared mentally deranged or too violent to function in society are not eligible for the external work program. Demographics The Empire is a largely homogenous nation, however ethnic or religious diversity is not necessarily frowned upon. Several smaller pockets of different ethnicities and cultures, mostly in immigrant communities or otherwise. Ethnicity and Nationality Overall Cravan is a mostly homogenous nation, with approximately 96% of the population having a completely caucasian ethnic background. The remaining 4% of the population is of African or Asian descent, or of a mixed racial background. Approximately 75% of the entire Asian population of Cravan is of Jeunese descent, the other 25% made up of mixed immigrant Asian families and other various Asian ethnicities. Most caucasian sub groups other than the three belonging to the Home Countries' native groups are either the products of border integration, immigration, working visas, or other travel arrangements. Note that although all people surveyed during the last census from which these statistics were taken, in 2006, are legal residents of Cravan they are not necessarily citizens. Many are workers living abroad, students, and others living in Cravan on a long term visa. 1Most "ethnicities" listed in this chart are not officially "ethnicities" per se but instead nationalities, however for the purposes of simplifying the data released by the census and displayed on this page they are considered so. A more detailed ethnic breakdown of Cravan may be found at the official Cravanian government census webpage. 2A considerable population of strictly Northfordian whites is present in Cravan, thus they are counted seperately from the "White (Other)" category. Religion The largest religious group in Cravan is , in particular , the Imperial Family being a largely Roman Catholic family. Due to the Imperial government's status as a secular entity, there is no official religion in the Empire, despite the Catholic Church of Cravan being referred to as the Imperial Church and the vast Catholic majority. Besides Catholicism, there is a multitude of minority religions present throughout the Empire, the most popular minor religious group other than sects of Christianity being Hebrew. As of the last census, 56% of Cravanians are Catholic, 23% Protestant and other Christian sects, 7% Hebrew, 6% various Celtic pagan faiths (originating from Aurelias), and 8% other mixed faiths, agnostics, or atheists. Christianity was first introduced to the city states of Cravan in the early half of the first century AD by travelers and traders from foreign lands. The faith spread quickly, becoming the dominant religion in central Cravan. Much the same occured in Sapin during the early half of the first century, with traders bringing the religion along with their goods and spreading the word and teachings of Christianity. In the early 1500's, a split occured in Cravanian Christianity, with a majority of Christians turning to the Roman Catholic church while those who broke off went along with various localized sects of Christianity, the likes of which later merged with larger sects. Other religions in the Empire were either brought with immigrant families or, in the case of Aurelian paganism, practiced from their inception in ancient times. 4% of all Cravanian Catholics recognize the Pope of Doomingsland as their pope, the other 96% belonging to various sub-sects of the Catholic faith who recognize other Popes as their pontiff. Language English is the de facto of Cravan, well over 99% of the Cravanian-born population being native speakers of the language, the other less than 1% learning a regional language before learning English. It is mostly required to know, understand, and be fluent in English in order to interact on a daily basis with Cravanian society. All road signs and mostly all commercial signs, advertisements, and labels are written in English in Cravan with very little support for foreign languages in the mainstream. There are several minor regional languages of Cravan, mostly secondary to English in everyday use. Specific to their native territories, and are widely spoken in Aurelias. , meanwhile, is associated mostly with Sapinian culture. In addition to these regional languages, Pacitalian is a very popular second language in Cravan, taught at many high schools and colleges. Willinkian The history of the Willinkian language abroad Universty of Salisbury Linguistics Staff, 2008. and are also very popular language courses offered in schools and universities. Education Cravan is regarded as a highly educated nation, with a literacy rate of 99.9%, owing to its extensive educational system and both privately and publically funded schools at the baseline level. Most middle and upper class residents of Cravan also move on to higher levels of education, such as university and graduate schooling. Basic Level Basic level schooling in Cravan is either privately funded and operated or publicly funded and managed by city governments, adhering to strict regulations and a curriculum set forth by the Imperial government. Basic schooling ranges between two different stages, sectioned off to six grade levels each and an optional basic preschool level before the first grade. The elementary level spans from first to sixth grade, while the secondary level spans from seventh to twelfth grade with seventh and eighth grades being used as transitional "middle school" periods. Generally graduating twelfth graders are between seventeen and eighteen years of age, at which point after graduation they are eligible for university education. Exceptions to the general college age of seventeen and eighteen are fairly common, with both dual-enrollment programs provided by universities in cooperation with schools or, in some cases, highly advanced students capable of taking a university curriculum at an earlier age than most others. Higher Education Universities in the Empire are privately owned and eniterly privately funded, with very few exceptions to this rule. Cravan is known throughout the world for its prestigious universities and educational standards, and also infamous for its high tuition rates for both domestic and foreign students. The Laurana metropolitan area alone has over two hundred universities of varying field, size, and tuition rates, and is also home to one of three state funded military academies, further outlined below. Several of the more notable universities of the nation include the Lylesworth Institution of Business, Economics, and Political Sciences, the University of Greater Gracemeria, the Fallengrove Institution of Science, Camden University, the Universidad de Politicas de Puerto Prosperidad (Port Prosperity University of Politics), the Central Aurelian Institute of Finance, and the Montgomery Engineering Institute of Laurana. Military Universities Of the countless universities in Cravan, only three are state managed and funded: the Imperial Army Academy, the Imperial Naval Academy, and the Imperial Air Force Academy. All three offer some of what are considered the best curriculums in both scholarly and athletic fields, and are free to attend assuming the entry requirements, which are also considered very steep in comparison to most other universities, are met. Graduation from a military university signs the graduate into a four or six year tour of duty depending on the curriculum which they took with the corresponding service branch as an officer, the graduate's rank dependent upon class rank. The highest rank in the military granted to a newly graduated cadet is of pay grade O-2. (Cpt. in Army, Lt. in Navy, Cpt. in Air Force) Economy Due to the Cravanian government's extensive policy, the Cravanian economy is continually growing to expand into new markets. The competitive nature of the private sector and advanced technological and industrial capacity of the nation have contributed greatly and benfited greatly to and from economic growth, from the mid 20th century until today and into future years. Industries and Bussiness is the central industry of Cravan and accounts for nearly 65% of the Cravanian GDP, encompassing and hardware, of numerous varieties and purposes, , , and other technological fields. , , , , and , , , and are several other major industries in Cravan. Cravan is home to many multi-national corporations and commercial enterprises, and due to the government's relaxed regulation of private enterprise many companies choose to make the nation their home. Due to the fierce competitiveness of the Cravanian economy, many small businesses and retail outlets are either consumed by the larger corporations or forced to work at a strictly local level in smaller villages and hamlets, unable to grow beyond a certain level without great risk to their enterprise. A lack of anti-monopoly legislation by the government has also caused several minor industries in Cravan to be dominated by a single company or group of companies, making edging one's way into the market fairly difficult for smaller or unprepared companies. Taxation and Trade The Cravanian government loosely regulates trade, only monitoring what comes into and leaves the nation to ensure illegal and dangerous materials are not being imported or exported to or from Cravan. Taxes and tariffs on imports to Cravan are non-existant, giving the shipping and cargo carrying industries much room to grow and compete. Other forms of taxation in Cravan is kept to a minimum, with a flat yearly 10% income tax on all corporate income. In addition, a 20% sales and retail tax exists, where companies are charged 20% of their profit from each item sold in retail outlets, the cost usually added on to the price tag of the item in the outlet of sale for a more simplified transfer of funds. Online sales and purchases in the Empire are not taxed by the government, as well as the incomes of private citizens directly. Currently Cravan's largest international trading partners include Alacea, Willink, Aequatio, Illior, Northford, Questers, Jeuna, Hamptonshire, and Cohenia. Currency The currency of Cravan, the cecat (ç), is noted as the sixth most powerful currency in circulation in Haven. The cecat, valued at ç1.94 to $1 Universal Standard Dollar, is issued by the Eastern Havenic Imperial Bank, a government owned institution. It is availiable in only printed banknotes, in various denominations ranging from one unit to five-hundred. The subunit of the cecat, the eica (1/100, ɛ), is availiable in minted coins ranging from units of one to fifty. Bank notes and coinage are printed and minted directly by the Eastern Havenic Imperial Bank and its subsidiaries, the Bank of Sapin and the Central Bank of Callander. The current rate of inflation of the cecat is 2.12%. Culture The culture of the Empire is a myriad of various sub-cultures, ranging from the dominant Anglo-Saxon culture throughout to that of Spanish origin in Sapin, Celtic origin in Callander, Northfordian influence in Carpanthium, and French influence in Aurde. The various Constituent Countries of the Empire all have their own unique sub-culture, however all stem from the central Anglo-Saxon culture which unites the Home Countries and Cortenshire. Theatre and Performing Arts The theatre and performing arts in the Empire are popular mostly with aristocrats and the upper classes and upper middle classes, particularly in major cities and towns. The theatrical capital of Cravan is noted as Parkson Boulevard in downtown Laurana, along which over forty notable theatres offer high class productions and countless smaller theatres provide other entertainment, such as stand up comedy and live concerts. Parkson Blvd. is particularly famous for its portrayal in a musical of the same name, which has since been adapted to a major feature film. Cinema Cinema in the Empire is dominated by both a booming domestic film market and an international film market. Cravanian theatres are left largely unregulated, giving the individual theatre the choice to carry various films allowing for a great variety at the local level. In 1997, the ratings system which held imported and domestic movies to a certain content standard were transferred from an official rating to a government advisory level on the film, whereas the government no longer enforces film content but rates film content according to core traditional values and gives releases this information to the public, such that the public will watch films at their own discretion rather than age limits be imposed upon films. Most theatres enforce standards which do not allow certain age groups to view inappropriate films. Media TBC Literature Literature has played a fundamental part of Cravan's history, with many notable authors and poets hailing from the Empire. Numerous authors from Cravan have made names for themselves internationally through history, most notably the great fantasy writers of the early nineteenth century, of which Cravanian literature was famous for at the time. Poetry is also a common art form throughout Cravan, with traditional Cravanian poetry usually written in lyrical form. In particular, the poet Richard Drydale (1856-1904) from Laurana is significant for both his descriptions of Cravan's natural wonder and of the cities and lifestyles of the people. His work has been hailed as a symbol of the nation, and many of his works are featured in various roles. In particular, his poem entitled "The Eternal Home of the Free" was adopted as the national anthem of the Eastern Havenic Empire in honor of his death in 1906. Music Currently the most popular forms of modern music throughout the Empire lie in the various sub-genres of rock, as well as urban and hip-hop genres having a firm hold on lower-income neighborhoods. Jazz and lounge music is mostly popular with the urban middle and upper classes, while the lower urban social classes mostly listen to music in a range spanning from rock to hip-hop, with punk rock and its lyrics proclaiming free expression and resistance against government popular with a large portion of the teen population. Classical music in Cravan is mostly influenced by contemporary western classical music, with full orchestras featuring large string sections. However, Aurelias and Sapin both possess their own ethnic music, with influences from their own cultures. Sapinish classical music features similar arrangements to mainstream Cravanian music, however heavily features instruments such as guitar and calypsos, as well as some live performances being accompanied by a flamingo dancer. Aurelian classical music, meanwhile, Celtic instruments such as bagpipes very heavily in its performance. Sports The de facto national sport of Cravan is ice hockey, popular in mostly central cities where large venues are located. Field hockey remains popular during the summer months when access to a venue with artificial ice is not availiable, for example at a high school or unofficial level. Hockey has become a major part of the Cravanian economy over the years, growing into a multi-billion cecat enterprise. Other sports common in the Empire include football (European), basketball, baseball, and lacrosse. Football is currently the only sport in which Cravan participates at an international level, having competed in World Cup 35 and the accompanying Baptism of Fire. An upcoming Continentian sports conference is set to change that, as Cravanian football and basketball teams are set to compete. Art Art in Cravan is mainly of a contemporary nature, with mostly classical-style paintings and frescoes being the dominant style of canvas art. Sculpture also remains of a conservative nature, with the human form and nature being the center of Cravanian sculpture. Several notable and world-renowned artists of Cravan include Jose Phillipe, a portrait artist from Sapin famous for his rendition of the storming of the Imperial Senate during the January Revolt; John Denardo, a painter from Laurana who has painted the portrait of every monarch since 1967; and Ashley Huckenbee, an Aurelian sculptor who created the statue of Emperor John I which sits in the center of the grand fountain at Imperial Square in Laurana today. Marriage See Also: Marriage in the Cravanian Monarchy Marriage itself is unregulated by the Imperial government, and is instead administered by the various religious institutions as a sacred sacrament. Thusly, although gay marriage and other unconventional practices are entirely legal in the eyes of the law, it is nearly impossible for a homosexual couple to be married in the eyes of a religious institution. The government of Cravan does, however, recognise civil unions, which are administered separately from a religious institution. All married couples bound by marriage in a church are considered to be in civil union, and as such in the event of a divorce agreements are made through a civil court if the couple cannot come to a consensus. Most religions do not recognise divorce as a legitimate option out of marriage, and more often than not it is impossible to remarry in the same religious institution if seperated and divorced from another person. Marriage is more of a symbolic and ceremonial institution than an official status in Cravan, however it is a very highly regarded and respected symbol of comittment between two human beings, and more often than not adulterers are shunned by a large portion of society, as well as unconventional couples such as homosexuals and "furries," although the former are far more widely accepted by religious Cravanians. Infrastructure Cravan has a highly developed and well funded infrastructure, with intricate transportation and utility networks, offering services to all citizens of the Empire and covered by the tax brought in by the Empire. Transportation The Eastern Havenic Empire has a heavily developed and effective transportation network, managed by the government and funded by both government funding and private investors and contributors. The advanced highway network connects cities in all major territories of the Empire and also connects Imperial territories to many bordering foreign nations in accordance with international agreements. Road networks aside from highways and freeways are also kept in good condition for the most part, with private construction firms bidding for repair and maintenance jobs from the government. Most middle, upper middle, and upper class families are in possession of at least one automobile, usually more, depending on place of residence, owing to heavy use of the highway and road networks. Mass transit in cities are provided by private charter companies and coordinated by a central government funded transportation agency. Subways are managed by privately owned companies running on government laid and owned track, with sections of track leased to the highest bidding company. All rail lines are interconnected for ease of transfer, and most transfers will occur where a particular company's jurisdicition ends, at an area where the train can easily switch tracks and return to its designated route or continue in a circuit. Taxi cabs and city busses are managed in much the same way, however less coordination is required because roads run both ways and can be serviced by any company assuming they have rights to use/establish a stop at a designated area. Trains and railroads in the Empire are used mostly for shipping goods from two points, however passenger rail lines still exist between cities, towns, and villages. Rail tracks are well taken care of, to ensure safe passage of goods and people from start to destination. Water Water is provided through a standard system of pipes and pumps to each and every city, town, and hamlet in the Empire. Water is distributed by private distribution companies regulated by strict government standards to deliver clean, high quality drinking and cleaning water to customers. Villages, hamlets, and homes in remote rural areas are usually serviced by a well with electric pump or have their water pumped from a clean source of water such as a mountain stream, and thus are free from a water distribution company but must instead answer to their electric company for the additional cost of the water pump servicing their home. Some villages have a pipe system which services local homes and businesses, handing the distribution to a local company or a branch of a major distribution company. Rates for water distribution are constant and fixed throughout the Empire, as regulated by government taxes and fees. Electricity Nearly all homes in the Empire are provided with electricity through a similar means from that seen with water distribution, with private companies leasing government built structures and wires to provide areas with power. Most power plants in the Empire are considered 'environmentally friendly,' despite there being few laws and regulations dictating such. Two large solar plants are in operation in the Empire, as well as three major hydroelectric dams and several small wind farms. Coal and gas power plants are extremely rare today, with currently only two of each throughout the entire empire in operation. (all are located in Sapin) Nuclear power, however, is very common, and most of the Empire's power is generated from nuclear plants. Waste is usually disposed of in underground disposal sites, encased in concrete 'coffins' and left until safe to dispose of in a more conventional means. Currently, experiments with alternative advanced forms of power generation are under research, but thusfar little progress is being made due to a lack of government funding. Most power lines in cities and suburban neighborhoods are located underground, while rural power lines run along roadways and highways to provide power over long distance in a cheap and easy to maintenance method. Armed Forces The Imperial Armed Forces are regarded as the Empire's muscle in foreign policy, with Cravan having been known to resort to force a few times in the past to push across its agenda. Overall, however, the Cravanian Armed Forces are primarily used defensively, protecting the Empire and its assets worldwide from foreign or domestic aggression. Active Personnel The Imperial Armed Forces currently has 12,852,248 individuals on its payroll; enlisted men and women, commissioned officers, and civilian contractors all included in this tally. In total, the Imperial Armed Forces employs over 11.4 million military personnel and 1.4 million civilian contractors directly on the payroll. This does not include the over 23 million civilian personnel employed by private military contractors, their employers contracted by the Imperial Armed Forces for various services, therefore placing those 23 million indirectly on the Imperial Armed Forces payroll. Out of the active military personnel count, almost 66% of all Cravanian military personnel are involved in service and logistics duty, leaving only approximately 34% of all personnel as dedicated combat troops. The average yearly income of an elisted man or woman in the military was approximately ç45,000, with commissioned officers receiving an average of ç60,000. The yearly income of an active duty enlisted man or woman or commissioned officer is determined both by rank and duration of service. Reserve Personnel Currently there are over 6 million reservists enrolled in the Cravanian Home Guard, a subsidiary of the Imperial Cravanian Army. Personnel in the CHG are mostly involved in either logistics or basic infantry and armor roles, undergoing standard training and reporting for three weeks of training every two years. The CHG are armed mostly with older equipment, updated to be more compatable and integrated with more up to date Cravanian defensive hardware. Reservists are not actively on the Army's payroll, instead put on the payroll only if mobilized and called to active duty. The last time any reservist unit was called to duty for a combat situation was during the the Five Day War, during which time they did not see action. Normally the CHG is usually used for disaster relief during peacetime. A provision in the Constitution completely prohibits the deployment of a CHG unit abroad, however a sub article allows it only if the Senate decides the situation warrants the CHG's deployment. Branches There are three central branches of the Imperial Armed Forces, each with their own respective sub-branches, subsidiaries, and agencies. *Imperial Cravanian Army **Cravanian Home Guard *Imperial Cravanian Air Force **Imperial Cravanian Naval Air Force **Imperial Strategic Command1 **Imperial Orbital Command *Imperial Cravanian Navy **Imperial Cravanian Marine Corps 1Officers from any branch of service may serve in the Strategic Command. References External Links *Official Government Website *Official Website of the Senate *Official Website of the Imperial Court System *Offical Website of the Directorate **Listing of individual departmental webpages of the Directorate *Official List of Embassies and Consulates in Cravan, managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (see above link) *Offical Website of the Imperial Palace Category:Cravan